Apparatus for inspecting staked syringes



R. J. MYERS ETAL APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING STAKED SYRINGES Feb. 6, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 13, 1965 irraIA/ZXJ Feb. 6, 1968 R. J. MYERSETAL 3,367,493

APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING STAKED SYRINGES I Filed Dec. 13, 1965Sheets-Sheet 2 Q9 M MA, M

Feb. 6, 1968' R. .1. MYERS ETAL APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING STAKED SYRINGESs Sheds-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 15,- 1965 REJECT REGULATOR TIME DELAY RELAYSOLENOID VALVE PREssuRF SWITCH INVENTORS figfier J M452: 2 BY fry/6 f 5"4770 (A/IX/ United States Patent 3,367,493 APPARATUS FOR INSPECTWGSTAKED SYRWGES Robert J. Myers and James R. Sager, Toledo, Ohio,assignors to Owens-Illinois, End, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 13,1965, Ser. No. 513,444 Ciaims. ('Cl. 209-73) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to apparatus for inspecting staked syringes todetermine that the needles are not plugged or that the diameter of thepassage through the staked syringe is of sufiicient size.

More particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for detectingplugged, staked syringes and for rejecting those staked syringes whichare not properly made. Syringes of the type which are being checked bythe present invention are of the type in which a glass barrel portionhas a needle cemented in an opening in one end thereof. The process andapparatus by which the needle and barrel are assembled is disclosed inWalkden application S.N. 491,268, filed Sept. 29, 1965, assigned to theassignee of this application, and entitled, Assembling HypodermicNeedles and Barrels.

As will sometimes happen in the operation of automatic machinery forassembling parts, and in particular in this situation where the needlesare to be cemented in the barrel, there is the possibility that themechanism will, in some fashion, be disrupted in its operation resultingin the delivery of syringes without needles or assembled syringe barrelsand needles which are plugged by the cement or epoxy. Furthermore, it ispossible that some of the needles will be partially plugged.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of this invention to provideapparatus for inspecting staked syringes for plugged or absent needles.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide apparatus forinspecting staked syringes and to reject those which are defective.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide apparatus forinspecting a plurality of staked syringes in series and to separate theacceptable syringes from the defective ones.

Other and further objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the invention forinspecting and sorting staked syringes;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, block diagram of the inspecting portion of theinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the electrical components forming a partof the invention.

In the following description the term staked syringes is used whenreferring to the complete syringe comprising a glass barrel and affixedneedle. The needles and barrel are joined together by a suitable cementsuch as an epoxy resin and in use are expected to be disposable after asingle use.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus of the invention comprisesa chain conveyor 10. The conveyor is of the type disclosed in theabove-referred-to Walkden application and generally comprises a seriesof chain links, of which syrings barrel engaging clips 11 form a part.The clips, as shown, comprise a pair of spring arms within which thebarrel portion B of the staked syringes are held and conveyed in asubstantially straight line, with the axis of the barrel extendinggenerally vertical. Each barrel, as it comes from the assemblyapparatus, is intended to have a needle N cemented in and carried by thebarrel portion B with the axis of the needle intended to besubstantially co-axial with the vertical axis of the barrels B.

As the syringes are conveyed by the chain 10 from the right to the left,as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, they will arrive at an inspection stationwhere they are positioned vertically above an air nozzle 12. The nozzle12 is connected to a solenoid valve 13 and a pressure regulator 14 (seeFIG. 3). Air under pressure from a suitable source is introduced to thenozzle 12 under control of the regulator as to pressure and under thecontrol of the solenoid 13 as to period of operation.

As the syringes reach the inspection station shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,wherein the syringe is in axial alignment with the nozzle 12, a switch15 having an actuating arm 16 is engaged by the needle N and operatesthe solenoid valve 13 to turn on the air flow through the nozzle 12.

Positioned vertically above and in axial alignment with the nozzle 12 isa pressure switch 17. This switch may be of the type manufactured byFairchild Controls under the designation Faircon PSF 100. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure switch 17 is mounted on a supporting bracket18 so that the switch is mounted over the run of the chain 14 and itsopening 19 is in alignment with the nozzle 12. Thus it can be seen thatwhen a syringe moves into position above the nozzle 12 and the syringehas a needle attached thereto, the needle will trip the switch 15turning on the air under pressure in the nozzle 12 and the pressureswitch 17 will sense whether there is a flow of air exiting from theneedle. The switch 17 will operate on a predetermined air flow velocity.Obviously, if there is insutficient air flowing through the needle, theswitch 17 will not be actuated or if there is no flow whatsoever, theswitch 17 will not be actuated. Furthermore, if there is no needlecarried by the, barrel, the switch 15 will not be actuated and thus theair under pressure will not be fed through the nozzle 12.

In order to ensure that the staked syringes are in the proper positionat the time they are tested, a guide rail 20 is provided which willengage the barrel portion of the staked syringes and a cam surfacemember 21 will engage the needle portion of the syringes. The camsurface 21 has its forward portion positioned such that it will engagethe needle and ensure that the needle will be in alignment with theopening 19 into the pressure switch 17 and the guide rail 20, which willcause slight clockwise tilting of the syringe, will ensure that theneedle will engage the cam surface of the member 21. In this 3 mannerthe staked syringes are ensured of being in the proper position at thetime that the air is turned on by the tripping of the switch 15. It willbe readily appreciated that the barrels as they are held in the clips11, are capable of some small pivotal motion within the clips themselvessince the clips are merely spring members.

After passing the inspection station, the syringes are carried to theleft, specifically to the dotted line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,wherein the syringe barrel B, having an integral flange portion F, willpass between a pair of opposed members 22 and 23. As the barrel arrivesat this position, the flange F will extend beneath the ends of themembers 22 and 23, and a second switch 24, having an operating arm 25,will be engaged by the barrel portion B of the syringe. Operation of theswitch 24 will actuate a solenoid valve 26 connected to an air supplyline 27 connected to an air motor 28. The piston 29 of the air motor 28is connected to the horizontally extending web portion 30 to which areintegrally connected the members 22 and 23.

As can readily be seen when viewing FIG. 2, the piston 29 is springreturned by an axially positioned, helical spring 31. If a defectivesyringe is present when the switch 24 is actuated, the reject mechanismcomprising the air motor 28 will operate to lower the members 22 and 23which engage the flange portion F of the barrel B and pull the barrelfrom the retaining clips 11 and permit the defective syringe to dropvertically downward into a suitable discard chute (not shown).

As can be seen when viewing FIG. 3, the pressure switch 17 is connectedto a time delay relay 32. The relay is normally set so that it will notblock a reject signal to the reject mechanism when the switch 24 isclosed unless the relay is actuated by the switch 17, then it will blockthe reject signal. Basically, the time delay relay comprises a timingmotor and switch. As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 4, the timedelay relay 32 is schematically represented by a motor winding 33 andswitch 34.

Having described the mechanical operations of the mechanisms of theinvention, the following description, with particular reference to FIGS.3 and 4, will provide a clear understanding of the sequence of operationof the invention.

The staked syringe passes between the pressure switch 17 and the airnozzle 12, tripping the switch 15 which actuates the solenoid 13.Operation of the solenoid valve 13 will send a regulated air stream intothe syringe. As pointed out previously, switch 15 is tripped by theneedle so that if there is no needle the air is not turned on. When theair passes through the syringe, indicating a good, unclogged syringeneedle, the pressure switch 17 closes to start the time delay relay 32which is set, for example for .8 second. When the timer is actuated, thetimer contact or switch 34 is opened and held open for the timinginterval. When the syringe has travelled, for example .7 second aftertripping the switch 15, it will trip the switch 24. Since the airpassing through the good syringe, opened the timer contact or switch 34by way of the pressure switch 17, the closing of the switch 24 will notactuate the solenoid 26. Thus the syringe will pass through the rejectmechanism without being disturbed. When a plugged syringe is beinginspected, it will also trip the switch 15 to turn on the air, but sincethe air will not pass through the syringe, the pressure switch 17 willnot be actuated and the timer 31 will not start and its contacts 34 willremain closed. Then, when the syringe moves to trip the switch 24, andthe circuit through the switch 34 is closed, the solenoid 26 will beactuated, causing operation of the motor 28 to reject the syringe. The.8 second mentioned above as the timing interval, is such that the timerwill be closed again before the next syringe arrives at the inspectionstation. Obviously, the period of timing can be set to any desired timedepending on the syringe spacing on the conveyor and the line speed.

In the event a syringe barrel comes into the inspection station withouta needle, the switch 15 will not be tripped and, therefore, the solenoidvalve 13 will not be opened and no air will flow into the barrel B. Inthis situation, the pressure switch 17 will not be actuated, therefore,the time delay relay is not started. Since the time delay relay is notstarted, the switch 34 within the relay will remain closed and when thebarrel reaches the reject position and closes the switch 24 the barrelwithout the needle will be ejected by the reject mechanism. Thus it canbe seen that applicants have provided a method of testing and sortingstaked syringes which is capable of selecting those syringes which arenot properly made. Furthermore, the apparatus is automatic in itsoperation and simple in its execution, such that it does not require agreat deal of maintenance and is capable of operating at relatively highspeeds.

Furthermore, the invention may be used to sort on the basis of needlebore sizes. This may be done by adjusting the pressure regulator so thatit will deliver to the syringe a flow of air of a velocity and at apressure such that, for example, a 20-gauge needle will emit air undersutlicient flow velocity to operate the pressure switch, but a 23-gaugeneedle will provide insuflicient flow to trip the pressure sensingswitch 17. This may be an important factor from the standpoint thatduring change over from one size syringe to another, there is thepossibility that the needle supply to the assembling machine mayinadvertenly be supplied with needles of an improper gauge.

Other and further modifications may be resorted to within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for inspecting staked syringes for plugged needlescomprising, an air nozzle positioned in axial alignment with the path ofmovement of the syringes, a source of air under pressure connected tosaid nozzle, a valve interposed said source and nozzle, switch meansconnected to said valve and mounted with its actuator in the path ofmovement of said needles, means at the opposite end of said syringes forsensing the presence of air exiting from the needles, means responsiveto movement of the syringe past the inspection station for ejecting thesyringes and means connected to said sensing means for inactivating saidejecting means.

2. Apparatus for inspecting staked syringes for plugged needlescomprising, an endless chain having syringe barrel engaging clipscarried thereby, a guide rail positioned to engage each individualsyringe barrel as the barrel is moved into alignment with the nozzle,guide means positioned to simultaneously engage the needle to accuratelyposition the staked syringe at the inspection station, means in the pathof movement of said syringes for blowing air under pressure axially intothe open end of said syringes, means at the opposite end of saidsyringes for sensing the presence of air exiting from the needles, meansresponsive to movement of the syringes past the inspection station forejecting the syringes and means connected to said sensing means forinactivating said ejecting means.

3. Apparatus for inspecting staked syringes for plugged needlescomprising, means for conveying a plurality of syringes in series, meansin the path of movement of said syringes for blowing air under pressureaxially into the open end of said syringes, means at the opposite end ofsaid syringes for sensing the presence of air exiting from the needles,a syringe engaging member responsive to movement of the syringe past theinspection station, reciprocating motor means connected to said memberfor operating said member to eject faulty syringes, syringe engagingswitch means connected to said motor for causing actuation of saidmotor, and means connected to said sensing means for inactivating saidejecting means.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing meanscomprises, a pressure sensitive switch mounted in spaced, axiallyaligned relationship with re- 5 6 spect to said nozzle whereby thesyringe under test is References Cited positioned therebetween.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein said UNITED STATESPATENTS means responsive to movement of the syringes past the 1,960,2815/1934 Schweizer 73-37 X inspection station comprises, a switch mountedin the 5 19,32,408 11/1934 womchek path of movement of said syringes andactuated thereby,

a time delay relay, a reject mechanism connected to a 2951364 9/1960Shemu 73*452 source of current through said switch and said time delayALLEN N KNOWLES Primary Examiner.

relay, and said pressure sensitive switch is connected to said timedelay relay for actuating said relay. 10

